Handcuffs And Kisses (Series #1)

Chapter 3

Lilian Carson POV

"It's an arranged union, and I'll stand by my choice."

His voice was flat. Unyielding. A statement, not a conversation. 

I felt the world tilt beneath me, like the ground itself was rejecting the weight of his words. The air in the room thickened, pressing against my ribs, making it impossible to breathe. 

I wanted to argue, to scream, but my father’s gaze pinned me in place. It was the same look I had grown up fearing, the kind that turned my insides cold, that reminded me he was not a man to be defied. 

"It's crucial for both your future and our reputation that you marry into a reputable family."

His words didn’t surprise me. He had never cared about my future, only about how I could be used.

I swallowed, my throat dry. My future? Since when did I have one of those? 

“I’m not getting married,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. 

His silence was suffocating. 

I could feel my pulse hammering against my skin, a frantic, uneven rhythm that made my head spin. My body felt weightless, untethered. The kind of sensation that came before a fall. 

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to focus. I closed my eyes, imagining a beach, the kind of place I had never actually been to but had read about in books. Waves lapping at the shore, the scent of salt in the air. The illusion barely lasted a second before his voice shattered it. 

"You will do as you are told." 

I flinched. 

It wasn’t a threat. It wasn’t even a command. 

It was a sentence. 

A verdict. 

I tried to steady my breathing, but my thoughts spiraled. He was serious. He wasn’t just throwing around words to frighten me, he meant it. 

I had no job. No money. He paid for everything. If I pushed too hard, he would take it all away. My education. My future. My choices. 

He had already set the trap. 

My hands curled into fists at my sides. "You can’t force me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. 

His gaze darkened, a flicker of something sharp passing through his expression. 

"This is an order, Lilian Elizabeth Carson." 

I felt my stomach drop. 

He never used my full name. 

The room felt smaller, the walls pressing in on me. My breath came in quick, uneven bursts, my head pounding like it was caught between a vice. The overhead light flickered, casting shadows that seemed to stretch toward me, crawling along the floor like fingers. 

My hands trembled as I took a step back. “I’ll go to the police.” 

His lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. 

“And tell them what?” His voice was calm, almost amused. "That your father is arranging your marriage? That would be a waste of their time, don’t you think?" 

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. 

He was right. 

I wasn’t a child. This wasn’t the kind of thing police cared about.